About UEFA

Eleven values

UEFA works and acts in accordance with eleven key values – appropriately the same number as the number of players in a football team.

The eleven values were first presented to representatives of UEFA's member national associations, delegates from the world football family and guests at the XXXIII Ordinary UEFA Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark in March 2009.

Each of the eleven values should serve as the basis for UEFA's future activities and dialogue, on behalf of European football, with the political, economic, social and sporting world.

They include the emphasis that football, and the need to defend its interests, must always be the first and most important element that UEFA takes into consideration in its work. UEFA should show leadership, but operate in consensus with all of football's stakeholders.

There is a commitment to good governance – openness, democracy, transparency and responsibility, with UEFA defending the autonomy of sports structures. The nurturing of football's grassroots, strengthening of solidarity within the game, and preserving football's identity and essential soul at all levels, are all important aspects of the European body's work.

Within its eleven values, UEFA pledges to protect youngsters, in particular minors, as part of a moral responsibility with respect to the risks involved in international transfers abroad when young people are under the age of 18. It commits itself to the protecting of sporting integrity against negative phenomena – such as illegal betting, corruption and match-fixing – and the proper running of UEFA's competitions, in order to preserve the true spirit of the game.

UEFA is determined that its financial fair play measures will bring greater stability to club football, and end the financial indiscipline and excesses that have marred the game and endangered the existence of many clubs, and its values include a pledge to protect sporting competition and the clubs themselves.

The balance between national team and club football should be maintained as part of UEFA's values, as they are seen as crucial complementary aspects of the game. In addition, an atmosphere of respect should prevail throughout football – respect for the game, integrity, diversity, dignity, players' health, rules, the referee, opponents and supporters – with no tolerance shown towards racism, violence and doping.

Finally, among its key values, UEFA commits to defending the specificity of sport, as well as the European model of sport based on promotion and relegation, the solidarity principle, and open competitions and opportunity for all.

Football first

In everything that we do, football must always be the first and most important element that we take into consideration. Football is a game before being a product, a sport before being a market, a show before being a business.

2

Pyramid structure and subsidiarity

At international and European level, the autonomy of sport is reflected by the pyramid structure of football. FIFA, UEFA and the national associations work hand in hand, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity. This allows us to defend the interests of football in the best possible way.

3

Unity and leadership

UEFA does not operate by dictat. We will continue to show strong leadership but operate in a spirit of consensus. In addition to the national associations, we will involve all stakeholders (leagues, clubs, players) in the decision-making process in European football, in particular through the Professional Football Strategy Council, so that the Executive Committee can take the right decisions. And we will aim for closer relations with football fans, without whom there would be no professional game.

4

Good governance and autonomy

UEFA and its member associations are committed to good governance. Good governance means openness, democracy, transparency and responsibility. In this spirit, UEFA defends the autonomy of sports structures, so that football bodies – with national associations in the lead – are the ultimate decision-makers in matters concerning football, with no undue interference from governments.

5

Grassroots football and solidarity

Football is based on the grass roots, played everywhere by men and women, boys and girls. The top professional level is just the tip of the iceberg. UEFA will continue with, and even strengthen solidarity, both to protect the future of football and to deliver the wider benefits that our sport brings to society as a whole. And it is also because the strength of football lies in its grass roots that we have to preserve the local, regional and national identities of our game, always in accordance with the law.

6

Youth protection and education

As governing body of European football, UEFA has both a sporting and a moral responsibility. The international transfer of minors entails many risks. Let's not forget that players under the age of 18 are children or adolescents. We want to protect the future of children in football and stop them being uprooted to foreign countries when they are much too young.

7

Sporting integrity and betting

Betting is a source of funding but also a risk for football, especially to the integrity of competitions. It is only right that football obtains its fair share of income from betting. However, our primary focus must continue to be a total commitment to protecting sporting integrity and the proper running of our competitions, in order to preserve the true spirit of our game.

8

Financial fair play and regularity of competitions

UEFA supports fair play both on and off the pitch. Financial fair play means that clubs operate transparently and responsibly, to protect both sporting competition and the clubs themselves. Financial fair play means clubs not getting into a spiral of debt to compete with their rivals but rather competing with their own means, ie the resources they generate.

9

National teams and clubs

National team and club football are vital and complementary elements of football. UEFA will remain committed to ensuring that this balance is maintained and even strengthened, as the development of our game at national, European and international level depends on it.

10

Respect

Respect is a key principle of football. Respect for the game, integrity, diversity, dignity, players' health, rules, the referee, opponents and supporters. Our message is clear: zero tolerance against racism, violence and doping. Football unites people and transcends differences. The colour of the skin is invisible under the jersey and, for UEFA, this will always be so. Racism and any other forms of discrimination will never be tolerated. UEFA will not tolerate violence either on the pitch or in the stands. Football must set an example.

11

European sports model and specificity of sport

UEFA is a European body and we remain totally committed to the European model of sport, a model characterised by promotion and relegation, the solidarity principle, as well as open competitions and opportunity for all. This is what sport – and especially football – is all about. We have to protect this model because sport is not simply a business like any other and we cannot allow it to be treated as such. We will continue to defend the specificity of sport and are convinced that our arguments will prevail for the good of football.

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